OCN
Saturday, July 3, 2021 Triview board meetings are generally held on the third Thursday of the month at 5:30 p.m. The next meeting is scheduled for July 22. The district office is located at 16055 Old Forest Point, Suite 302. Check the district’s
website, https://triviewmetro.com/, or call 488-6868 for meeting updates and to confirm if the meeting will be in person or online/teleconference. See also “Triview Metropolitan District” on Facebook or Twit-
Page 21 ter.com/@TriviewMetro. Jennifer Kaylor can be contacted at jenniferkaylor@ocn.me.
Donala Water and Sanitation District, June 17
Clean 2020 annual audit presented By Allison Robenstein The Donala Water and Sanitation District (DWSD) met on June 17 to review the annual audit. They also reviewed the customer water leak adjustment plan and the district’s water strategy.
span two billing periods but cannot be made available for more than two leaks in a 36-month period. When customers apply for the adjustment, they will need to show proof of the leak occurring and how it was repaired.
Hoelting and Co. audited the district’s financial position and cash flow, finding both present fairly. It was noted Donala’s net position is $40 million, of which $12 million is unrestricted cash. Outstanding longterm debt decreased by $713,000 as payments toward loans were completed.
The water strategy is a plan intended to guide the district toward meeting long-term water needs. The strategy shows there is a need for 900 acre-feet per year. Water from the Denver Basin Aquifer that is composed of the Dawson, Denver, Arapahoe, and Laramie-Fox Hills aquifers is non-renewable. The water levels are declining at a rate of 30 feet per year. With a renewable water portfolio that includes Willow Springs Ranch, Laughlin Ditch, and reuse effluent from the waste treatment plant, the district has about 950 to 975 acre-feet of renewable water.
Auditors find district financials present fairly
Water leak adjustment plan
Donala provides financial relief “to customers who experience extremely high water use as a result of a leak,” due to broken or damaged plumbing fixtures, pipes, or irrigation equipment. The adjustment can
Water strategy
Donala’s strategy to pursue water rights in excess of current demand is intended to create a water reserve. ********** The next meeting is scheduled for July 15 at 1:30 p.m. Generally, board meetings are held the third Thursday of the month and include online access due to coronavirus restrictions; call (719) 488-3603 or access www.donalawater.org to receive up-to-date meeting information. The district office is located at 15850 Holbein Drive, Colorado Springs. See https://www. donalawater.org for more information about the district. Allison Robenstein may be reached at allisonrobenstein@ocn.me.
El Paso Board of County Commissioners, June 1, 15, and 22
Cloverleaf preliminary plan approved; Master Plan certification received By Helen Walklett During June, the El Paso Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) approved a preliminary plan application for the Cloverleaf development. The commissioners also made decisions relating to the Forest Lakes development, the annexation of part of Higby Road, and accepted certification of the new county Master Plan.
Cloverleaf preliminary plan
At its June 15 meeting, the BOCC approved the preliminary plan application by PT Cloverleaf LLC to create 144 single-family residential lots and 6 acres of open space and stormwater detention at its Cloverleaf development. The eight parcels of land, totalling 38.78 acres, are zoned RS 20000 (residential suburban) and RS 5000 (residential suburban) and are located immediately north of Higby Road and east of Jackson Creek Parkway. The development includes the redevelopment part of the sale of the “Walters Open Space” land, which was rezoned from RS 20000 to RS 5000 by the BOCC in April. Lots 1-141 will be built on the rezoned land; lots 142, 143, and 144 will be built on two parcels separate from the rezoned land under their existing RS 20000 zoning. The El Paso County Planning Commission considered the application at its May 20 meeting and voted unanimously to recommend it for approval. See https://www.ocn.me/v21n6.htm#epcpc. The item was approved as a consent item, meaning there was no further discussion. Note: This development is adjacent to nearly 100 acres of space now called South Woodmoor Preserve that will remain open in perpetuity with ProTerra’s support. In turn, the Walters Open Space Committee agreed to support the Monument land development company’s plan to build up to 152 single-family homes in its Cloverleaf development. See www.ocn. me/v21n5.htm#epbocc.
Master Plan certification
At the June 22 BOCC meeting, the Planning Commission certified the new county Master Plan to the BOCC. Although the Planning Commission has final authority over the plan, it is required to certify it to the BOCC and other outside agencies. Planning Commission Vice Chair Tom Bailey said, “I want to assure you that the process and the group of people that have been involved in this was very extensive. We didn’t ignore any inputs. We didn’t agree with all of them, but we didn’t ignore them.” Planning Commission Chair Brian Risley told the commissioners that the Planning Commission had held two public hearings to obtain final comments and input following the lengthy process undertaken to create the new plan. He said, “Again that gives a lot of opportunity for public input, a lot of opportunity for us to robustly discuss that input and to really factor in how that measures with the goals of
the county and the intent behind the Master Plan and I am pleased to inform you that it was unanimously approved in its final form.” He described it as “an outstanding document and one that is really a legacy for this county and that’s something as a native of Colorado Springs, having grown up in the Black Forest area, that’s something that I take very seriously.” Craig Dossey, executive director, Planning and Community Development, said the new plan would now be used for all new applications made to the county. Applications already under consideration could choose to be reviewed under the new plan rather than the previous one. He also said it was the county’s intent to review the new plan regularly and update the Planning Commission and BOCC annually on how it was functioning. He said, “It is a plan that is intended to guide the next 20 years of growth and development in the county. That is not a little thing. I think Mr. Risley said that very correctly when he said it is a humbling thing but something that we took great pride in.” He continued, “It’s not a little exercise. This is changing the future of the county for the foreseeable future.” BOCC Chair Stan VanderWerf described work on the Master Plan as “an outstanding community and county effort.” He said, “This document is comprehensive and dare I say maybe even brilliant. So thank you to everyone for doing all this great work, [for] working so hard on it.” The commissioners voted 4-0 to accept the certification of the Master Plan from the Planning Commission. Commissioner Longinos Gonzalez Jr. was absent. The commissioners also voted to dissolve the Master Plan Advisory Committee, thanking them for their work.
Forest Lakes parklands agreement
At their June 1 meeting, the commissioners approved a parklands agreement between the county and the owner of the Forest Lakes development, Forest Lakes Residential LLC, for Forest Lakes Filing No. 6. The owner is completing a final plat application for Filing 6 for the development of 68 single-family homes. Under the agreement, Forest Lakes Residential will be granted an urban park credit of $20,060 and will install park and trail improvements of an equal or greater value. The owner will install part of the phase 2 trail system, which will provide connections to the regional trail and to Waterfront Park, litter bins, a pet waste station, and benches. The work is estimated to cost about $25,663.
Higby Road annexation
At their June 22 meeting, the commissioners approved a resolution authorizing the county engineer to represent the BOCC and provide all necessary documents to the Town of Monument to facilitate the town’s petition for annexation of the county’s right-of-way and associated public infrastructure on and adjacent to portions of Higby Road. The section in question stretches from Jackson Creek Parkway to the end of Jackson Creek Filing No. 6, essentially the boundary between Jackson Creek North Filings 3 through 6 and Home Place Ranch.
Other items
On June 1, the commissioners held an executive session at the request of the county attorney’s office regarding access to Baptist Road and Forest Lakes Drive to determine positions relating to possible future negotiation. Direction was received but no decisions were made. Helen Walklett can be reached at helenwalklett@ocn.me.
Fireworks ban rescinded, clarified The fireworks ban was rescinded June 15, making the sale and possession of fireworks legal in unincorporated El Paso County. However, the following are still illegal fireworks in the county: • Bottle rockets • Mortars • Roman candles • Fountains/Ground spinners • Any firework that flies or explodes Violators may be punished by a fine of up to $750 and/or imprisonment for up to six months. Safety information: • We are not currently under Stage 1 Fire Restrictions, but some portions of the county remain dry and may have a higher risk of fire. • If you want to see fireworks, go to a public show put on by experts. • Keep a close eye on children at events where
fireworks are used. The risk of fireworks injury is highest for young people ages 15-24, followed by children under 10. • Nationwide, more than 16,000 reported fires are started by fireworks annually. The sheriff, deputy fire warden, other fire officials, •
Val Ross-Coy Broker Associate
(719) 237-8787 val.erashields.com vcoy@erashields.com
